Mmmmm, Delish
or
More Logs Please

July 19, 1999

As a group, I would say that we're good eaters in my family. We're adventurous when it comes to trying new things, have a large repertoire of foods, and overall, I think we enjoy food.

As an aside, I never understand people who "forget" to eat. I have never forgotten a meal in my life.

I like to cook, as I've said before, and I like trying new things.

There are, however, a couple of things I consider absolutely unnecessary and will never try. Some of this may come from my upbringing.

Growing up, my grandfather owned a deli. I can assure you that pastrami was never, ever, never, ever served with mayonnaise, lettuce, or tomatoes. Always on rye, with spicy brown mustard.

Bagels: onion, egg, salt, pumpernickel, garlic, water, all OK. Now they have strawberry, blueberry, and chocolate chip bagels. I have one comment for this: UGH.

Well, I used to say UGH.

Then I had a baby. The limits of what is acceptable to eat is really stretched with a young one in the house.

First there's all that baby food. It looks yucky. I thought I would be the perfect mother and make my own. I have two words for you there: no. interest.

Organic veggies steamed and then smashed. Served in baby size portions. No thank you very much mommy. She liked the jarred stuff from the store. I don't know how I discovered it but I found out that if I put plain yogurt on it all the better. She would eat anything if I put yogurt on it.

When we graduated to real food her first meal was dim sum. The look on her face when she discovered that you could eat the white doughy outer surface of bao was amazing. I can only imagine that if I'd added yogurt to it it would have been that much better.

She was off and running. Scrambled eggs. Yummy. Smothered in plain yogurt. Pancakes. Again yogurt, no syrup (this one doesn't bother me since no toddler needs sugar). Tuna. With yogurt. Ravioli. Even though the yogurt was on the side this time she preferred both together. You get the picture.

Now Zoe is a full fledged toddler and will eat just about anything. Though she does not have the same food prejudices I do.

Case in point: this Sunday she and I went and got bagels. She picked out the pink one (cranberry orange) and the brown one (chocolate chip). All I could think was UGH. I almost asked the counter person to put them in a separate bag so as not to contaminate the real bagels in the bag, but I didn't.

I figured a little cream cheese and it wouldn't be too bad.

On the drive home Zoe asked if we have any "logs." "Logs?" "Yeah momma, logs." It took me a minute but I figured out she wanted lox. "Yes, honey, we have logs."

When we get in the house she said she wanted the pink bagel. I get out the cream cheese, prepare her bagel and give it to her. "Where's the logs, momma."

A cranberry orange bagel with lox and cream cheese????

This exceeded any repulsive requests heretofore made in the interest of nutrition in this household. But, what's a mother to do? I succumbed.

While I will not be trying this particular combination any time soon she enjoyed it enormously.

At least she didn't want yogurt on it.

Until next time. . .